Laura Morgan and the Impossible Staircase
by Lilith Shadowsong
Summary: This is the story of Adam Morgan, or as she became to be known, Laura Morgan. It is the story of the first known Transgender student to attend Hogwarts, and the trials she will face because of it. She'll make good friends, and have some terrible enemies. The journey to become a witch is tougher than she expected, but it will be well worth it!
1. Chapter 1

The birds could be heard chirping their morning songs, as the sun was just stating to rise over the horizon. The first rays of light cascading over the tall spire of the St. James Cathedral. Soon the neat and orderly streets would begin to awaken with life. As people began their days. Parents and other adults leaving for work, shops beginning to open up, children sleeping in. A fairly typical early July morning in Louth, Lincolnshire. By unlike many other seemingly ordinary days, something very extraordinary was about to happen to a small family.

At the end of London Road sits a neat two story house, it's white walls and blue trim sticking out starkly against the Lincolnshire Wolds. It is here the Morgan family makes their home. If you told David Morgan you were hungry, he would typically respond with "Nice to meet you Hungry! I'm Dave!" David was the owner of one of The local hardware shops, claiming to have no greater aspirations than this, for what could be better than a job that put food on the table and kept him close to home. Sheila Morgan however was a bit more ambitious. She worked at the local branch of a large accounting firm, out of the door at 7:30am sharp, and back home at 6:45pm like clockwork. Long hours and big projects, trying to move up in the company. They had two children, a boy and a girl. Average children, the boy getting ready for his first year of secondary school, and this year his sister would be starting grammar school. Neither child was particularly special. However strange things kept happening around the boy, Adam. There was the time he crashed his bicycle, rather hard into a patch of thorny and poisonous brambles. David and Sheila were both certain that he had broken his arm, and that the gash on his leg would need stitches. However when they got to the emergency, they were informed that Adam was, for the most part, okay. A fair amount of bruising, but no broken bones, and certainly no stitching would need to be done on such a little scratch. In fact bruising was the only harm done, no rash developed from contact with the brambles.

Or the time Adam had fallen off the boat on the lake. David had dove in after him, but when he emerged from underwater, Adam was on the shore calling for his parents. No one knew how he had gotten over there so quickly. It's not to say his parents weren't relieved when no harm came to their child, but it was odd.

Things also had a habit of breaking or going missing when Adam was upset. And it wasn't as though he was throwing things or taking them. It just happened. It earned him a kind of bitter rumor among the town's adults. But other than that Adam was your everyday ten year old boy. He had deep hazel blue eyes, and he kept his mousy brown hair a little longer than his parents would have liked. Other than that he was completely normal. Or so they thought.

Adam knew better, much better than anyone else, that there was something wrong with him. Not really wrong, just different. It wasn't the accidents or the strange ongoings that surrounded him. Adam desperately wanted to be a girl. He, or she as she would refer to herself when no one else was around, was dreading the next school year. Her father was do proud.

"My son is going to the same Academy I did as a boy!" He would proudly proclaim to his friends and customers, "St. Joseph's!"

St. Joseph's was an all boys school, and was proud of producing fine young men to lead tomorrow. Adam couldn't think of anywhere less she wanted to be. Her father explained to her in great detail and length about the joys of puberty which she would be experiencing soon. Adam never cried so hard in all her life, as she did when she went to bed that evening. And everyday since she checked religiously for any signs of these changes. Her parents took it as their son being excited to become a man. To her great relief she hadn't been showing any signs of puberty. She didn't understand why she had to go to an all boys school, she had tried to talk her parents into a co-ed facility. Absolutely no luck. What she really wanted was to go to an all girls school, but knew why that was impossible. Everything seemed hopeless.

It was just getting on past six when David Morgan entered his home. Having picked up the mail from the letterbox, and was now looking through it. Then he spied a very strange looking envelope, it was addressed to Adam, by very spot on about his location.

To: Mr. A. Morgan  
Second Bedroom on the Right  
42 London Drive,  
Louth  
Lincolnshire

The seal was extremely official looking, and read 'Hogwarts'. What that was, or had they had such frightening accurate details, he didn't know. Probably some new institution looking for new students, why they would want his son he wasn't sure of, but that didn't matter. His son was going to St. Joseph's! Then again, it was Adam's letter and it would be wrong to keep it from him. David was a little torn about what to do.

"Just talk it over with the wife when she gets home it's probably nothing." He shrugged and set the letter down on the counter, getting to work on dinner for the family.

The clocked turned to 6:45pm and that very second the doorknob turned and Sheila Morgan was home. She set her briefcase down by the stairs and walked towards the kitchen, inhaling the wonderful aromas coming just past the door. Her husband may not be ambitious, but he was an amazing cook. Which was good, she always liked to joke that she could burn water. She opened the door and stepped in carefully. Wanting to make sure she didn't bump into her husband and send food flying everywhere. As she entered she noticed the strange envelope sitting on the counter.

"What's this?" She asked to her busied husband as she inspected it.

"Weird, eh?" He responded as he started mixing the chicken with The noodles, "'s for Adam, some place called Hagwers or something like that."

"This Envelope is oddly… Specific" she paused.

"I noticed that," he said looking over his shoulder, "I thought about tossing it in the bin, but it's Adam's, he's got a right to it."

"Maybe someone's trying to play a funny on him?"

"Well I guess we'll find out," David shrugged, as he transferred the pasta to four plates.

Sheila was more than concerned, but agreed with her husband. And went to go fetch Adam.

Adam was in her room plotting possible run away attempts. The more she thought about going to an all boys school, and being forced to become a young man, the more she felt a deep sense of anxiety. However she was she that running away wasn't going to serve much of a purpose. Kids who ran away usually got returned, or never heard from again. She rubbed her forehead as she felt a headache begin to cluster, and decided to head to the loo to make sure no wild hairs had sprouted on her face in the last hour. As she opened the door she heard a light rapt, and saw her mother standing there.

"Oh! Adam, I was just coming to get you! There is a letter in the kitchen for you."

"Oh! I was just about to go check my face, but I can come down stairs."

Her mother gave a slight chuckle, "my little boy! You have to be patient, you'll be a man soon enough."

Adam swallowed hard, and have her mother a stare, hoping to somehow transfer all she was feeling directly into her brain. She took a deep breath after a while and replied, "Yes mum…"

Her mother ruffled her hair and headed towards the stairs. Adam followed along quietly behind. What was she going to do? She thought about just telling them and getting out over with. But she was afraid they wouldn't love her anymore. Maybe she should just forget the whole thing, live as a boy as best she could, and make everyone else happy.

"There he is! Letter is on the counter." David proclaimed with a little too much excitement. He was honestly a little worried about what the letter could be, and if it could hurt his child. Adam picked it up and studied it.

"Who's it from?"

"We don't know" her mother admitted.

Adam looked at the envelope confusedly, it was addressed right to her, right down to her bedroom. She carefully broke the seal. And retrieved a fine looking piece of parchment. She unfolded it gingerly and looked over it.

"HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

Dear Mr. Morgan,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Headmistress

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM  
First-year students will require:  
sets of plain work robes (black)  
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi  
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection  
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS"

She read it quietly out loud, all the way down the requirements list. Her parents looked back and forth at each other and gave an odd little laugh. Adam read out over again to herself, and mouthed the words "we await your owl".

"Well you were right," David said to his wife, "someone thinks they're funny!"

Adam was about to respond that she didn't think it was very funny, when there was a loud banging at the door.

"Who could that be?" Hey father asked to no one in particular, "maybe it's a Unicorn come to take Amy to a riding school." His tone was a jovial one as he patted Adam's shoulder, trying to comfort his son. Adam had sunk down into a chair with a depressed look on her face as she kept rereading the letter.

David was whistling as he walked to the door, opening it "what can I do for… You…"

His sentence stopped short, standing in front of him was a very strange looking man. He wore an very distinguished black suit, with a matching bowler hat. Which wasn't strange, but he had a a long thin black beard that ended at a point. And in his hand seemed to be a covered bird cage.

"Ah, yes I'm here to speak with young mister Morgan." The man stated very-matter-of-factly.

David raised an eyebrow and pulled the door closer to himself ready to close it. "And who are you then?"

"I am Professor Stromthorn, and I'm here to speak with young Mister Morgan," his voice peppered with annoyance.

"Professor of what?"

There was a heavy sigh, "My dear man, by now I know, like you know, that young mister Morgan has received his acceptance letter to our institution and-"

"Wait! You are here about that funny letter!? I don't know who you are but when you pull a bit you really go all out!" David opening the door further now getting nearly in the face of the so called professor. "Who do you think you are!?"

"Who is it dad?"

David turned his head to see his son and his wife standing in the kitchen doorway. David made a grimace and looked back at the "professor".

"Fine, if you can keep lying to a little kid, go right ahead." David said impatiently, wanting this to be over.

Professor Stromthorn, smoothed his suit out and stepped past David. He walked over very smoothly towards Adam, who was pulled tightly to his mother. Professor Stromthorn was by no means a short man, he almost towered over Sheila. He leaned down and got on one knee before Adam.

"Adam, I am Professor Stromthorn, and I am certainly not here to lie to you." He said very calmly "I'm here to tell you something very important."

Adam studied his face, and saw no reason why he would lie to her. There was a sudden rattle in the cage next to him, and she heard a bit of a screech.

"What's that!?"

Professor Stromthorn grinned slightly, and turned a little taking the cloth off the cage. Sitting on the perch was a beautiful barn owl with piercing yellow eyes. It gave a soft chirp towards Adam as it locked eyes with her.

"That's an owl… You have an owl! The letter said I would have to respond by owl!"

"That's right Adam, you're a wizard."

"That's preposterous!" Shouted David, "wizards aren't real!"

"Oh we are very real," there was a smirk on Professor Stromthorn's face, "And so is magic."

David now took large steps towards the man near his son, "that's enough of that! So is that what you're thinking then? Taking my boy to learn card tricks or something like that?"

"Let me ask you all something," the professor now standing being just above eye level with David "Has anything strange happened around Adam? Just odd happenings, things you couldn't explain?"

Sheila was The first to gasp as she put what he meant to thought "You mean… That was magic, those things?"

"Yes! Untamed and unrefined, but still magic!" Professor Stromthorn seemed excited as someone caught on, "At Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we take this raw talent and we help shape and mold it into a useful skill, preparing them for the future."

"This can't be true," David still in vivid disbelief,Thend what? You're one of these wizards then, are you?"

Professor Stromthorn pulled out what looked like a sanded stick that sat adorned atop a black handle. Looking like he might jab David in the eye with it, he instead turned and pointed it at one of their lamps. The lamp creaked and groaned as it shrank down and changed shape. Where a lamp was, now sat a black bunny with very long ears and a very twitchy nose.

Adam's hand went right for Professor Stromthorn's jacket sleeve, and she have it a rather hard tug.

"How did you do that? How did you change it?" She asked excitedly while her parents stood there dumbstruck.

"Transfiguration, one of the many things you will learn at Hogwarts if you choose to go."

"If I choose? You mean I don't have to go?" She asked watching him carefully.

"Certainly not, there are other magical schools, I dare say Hogwarts is the best. Though I may be biased." He mused slightly "the choice is up to you and only you, on if you will pursue an education of magic."

"And that… Transfigure stuff… Does it work on people? I mean… Can they change things about themselves?"

Professor Stromthorn raised an eyebrow at the question, "with enough time and practice, yes. But there are rules about harming others with your magic."

"He's not going," her dad finally coming to terms with The rabbit on his floor "he's going to St. James, a regular normal school. Isn't that right Adam?"

Sheila walked over to her husband and grabbed his arm gently "I agree with Professor Stromthorn, this is only something Adam can decide. We have to let him choose."

David grumbled but nodded, and all eyes turned to Adam. She took a nervous swallow, and started going over everything in her mind. It wasn't exactly running away, and it seemed almost too perfect an opportunity to pass up.

"Okay… I'll go… To Hogwarts I mean" her dad groaned loudly, "but on one condition…"

Professor Stromthorn's eyebrow now record breakingly high on his forehead, "This should be interesting, well go ahead."

Adam took a deep breath and almost shouted, "I don't want to be a wizard, I want to be a witch!"


	2. Chapter 2

The silence in the room was deafening. Adam looked to her parents, then back to the professor. Their mouths were either stuck in a state of shock or pulled into a tight confused look. She had blown, she just knew it. And now not only would she not be going to Hogwarts, she would be stuck here with her terrible secret revealed.

"I'm sorry," Professor Stromthorn started, his voice a little softer than before "Could you repeat that please?"

Now was a chance to correct herself, she would just take it back and everything would be fine.

"I want to be a witch." her voice stated defiantly as her mouth opened. She wanted to smack herself on the forehead, run away, do something, but her body just stood there looking more calm than she actually was.

Professor Stromthorn seemed to be mitigating something in his mind as he stroked his fingers through his beard. After a moment he stopped "You do understand what you are saying right? Witchcraft and Wizardry aren't two different things."

"I understand." She said softly " But if I'm a wizard, and I'm a boy… then Witches much be girls, and that's what I want to be. I want to be a girl."

"And you won't go, unless we allow this?" That eyebrow precariously high once more.

"That's right sure" she replied, somehow without her voice shaking. In her mind she was screaming trying to regain control of her senses. But whatever good sense she had seemed to had left her, and she couldn't stop telling them what she really wanted.

He pointed his stick at the ground, and the tip started to produce wisps of glowing, sliver light, that circled like vapor. It collected and swirled in the point he spotted, carefully forming and constructing what appeared to be a ferret. Adam didn't know what it was, but she very suddenly felt extremely calm and warm. She felt herself become at peace with the situation.

"Please inform Headmistress Mcgonagall of our current situation." Professor Stromthorn requested to the little being of light. It pulled itself into a ball of light and then shot out an open window. That feeling of comfort, and peace all at once vanished and Adam felt very aware of the situation again. She finally looked back to her parents who had remained very quiet.

"You… you didn't really mean that did you Adam?" His farther finally finding his voice, "You just told them that because you don't really want to go and you know they'll never go for this… right?"

Hearing the what her father said, her heart sank. She wanted to lose all composure and cry. Thankfully there was some ball of courage still left inside her keeping her together.

"No Dad, I meant what I said," her reply was soft and even.

Her mother left, her father's side and took Adam into her arms, holding her close. She was quietly sobbing as she stroked Adam's hair.

"When? When did this happen?" she questioned.

"It's just… it's just kind of always been this way Mum," taking a deep breath.

"What did we do to make you feel this way? Did somebody hurt you?" Her father now joining the two of them.

"No! Nothing like that!" Her voice rising in volume and anger, as she pulled away from them. "It's nothing you did, it's nothing anyone did! I've just always felt like this. I didn't even know anything was really wrong until Dad had that talk with me. And everyday I want to throw up because I know my body is going to change in ways I don't like. It's going to become something awful that I just can't live with. And then you wanted to send me to that awful all boys school, I thought I would die, I wanted to die."

"You can't mean that…" Her mother reaching out for her.

"BUT I DO MEAN THAT!" Her own eyes filled with tears of anger, "I MEANT EVERY WORD OF IT!"

"What's going on?" Amy was standing on the center step on the staircase, looking down at her family fighting. "Who's he?" She asked pointing at Professor Stromthorn.

"My name is Professor Stromthorn, I'm here to speak to your bro-umm..Sibling." he tried to correct himself, not wanting to make the situation more heated than it already was.

"why is everyone shouting, and crying?" she tilted her head to the side a little, " is this about Laura?"

"Who's Laura?" Their mother asked, turning to Amy.

"Adam, is Laura…" Amy now pointing at her older sibling.

"You knew about this?" David, appearing more curious.

"Adam has a journal… It talks a lot about Laura…"

Just as David was about to ask another question another ball of light appeared on the coffee table. It formed into a silver tabby, and from it came a sharp and proper voice, "I will be there soon."


End file.
